Axial lock and release stent deployment system

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to stents and methods of delivering and deploying the same. The stents include fasteners about their periphery and when the stent is radially compressed, the fasteners come into alignment such that a device may be placed through openings in the fasteners to hold the stent in the radially compressed configuration. When the device is removed from the openings, the stent may expand.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure generally relates to medical devices. Moreparticularly, the disclosure relates to stents and methods of deliveringand deploying the stents.

2. Description of the Related Art

Stents have become a common alternative for treating vascular conditionsbecause stenting procedures are considerably less invasive than otheralternatives. As an example, stenoses in the coronary arteries havetraditionally been treated with bypass surgery. However, stentingprocedures are performed transluminally and do not require open surgery.Thus, recovery time is reduced and the risks of surgery are minimized.

One common type of stent used in medical procedures is theself-expanding stent. Self-expanding stents are usually made of shapememory materials or other elastic materials that act like a spring.Self-expanding stents are increasingly being used by physicians becauseof their adaptability to a variety of different conditions andprocedures. Typical metals used in this type of stent include nitinoland stainless steel. However, other materials may also be used. Tofacilitate stent implantation, self-expanding stents are normallyinstalled on the end of a delivery catheter in a low profile, compressedstate. The stent is typically inserted into a sheath at the end of thecatheter, which restrains the stent in the compressed state. The stentand catheter assembly is then guided along a guide wire to the portionof the vessel to be treated. Once the catheter and stent are positionedadjacent the portion of the vessel to be treated, the stent is releasedby pulling, or withdrawing, the sheath rearward.

One problem that exists with conventional self-expanding stentdeployment systems is that the longitudinal force imposed upon thedelivery sheath can be relatively high. Typically, an inner tubedisposed proximal to the stent is held steady to longitudinally restrainthe stent while a proximal end of the delivery sheath is retracted,thereby exposing the stent. However, as the proximal end of the deliverysheath is being pulled, a significant build-up of energy may occur alongthe length of the delivery sheath due to friction between the deliverysheath and the stent. In particular, the act of deployment typicallyimposes a stretch on the overall length of the delivery sheath, andthus, results in a substantial axial compressive force on the overalllength of the inner tube. The stored energy in the delivery sheathand/or inner tube may be suddenly released, causing the stent to moveforward unexpectedly, e.g., “jump” forward, leading to inaccurateplacement of the stent in a vessel.

Moreover, the significant forces imposed upon the delivery sheathcontaining the self-expanding stent, and/or the inner tube disposedproximal to the stent, may lead to various system failures. For example,the delivery sheath itself may be stretched beyond its maximum abilityand may not recover elasticity or may break in half, various fittingsmay become disengaged due to the forces imposed, the inner tube maybecome overly compressed into an “accordion” shape, and so forth.

Problematically, the energy build-up within the delivery sheath andinner tube may be even more affected as the length of the deliverysystem is increased. Since relatively long self-expanding stents, e.g.,having lengths between 200 to 300 mm, may become prevalent in newerdevices, the problem of energy build-up in the delivery sheath and innertube may become a larger concern. Accordingly, there is a need forimproved methods of delivering and deploying self-expanding stents.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to stents and methods of delivering anddeploying the stents. In one embodiment, a stent is disclosed comprisinga proximal portion, a mid-section, and a distal portion, wherein one ormore of the proximal portion, mid-section, and distal portion comprisesa plurality of fasteners.

In another embodiment, a method of deploying a stent at a targetlocation is disclosed. The method comprises providing a stent in aradially compressed configuration, the stent comprising a plurality offasteners, each fastener of the plurality of fasteners comprising anopening, wherein the openings of each fastener are in alignment in alumen of the radially compressed stent, and further wherein a rod isdisposed through the openings of each fastener. The method alsocomprises the steps of placing the stent at the target location,proximally withdrawing the rod from the openings of the fasteners,allowing the stent to expand, and deploying the stent at the targetlocation.

In an additional embodiment, a method of deploying a stent at a targetlocation is disclosed. The method comprises providing a stent in aradially compressed configuration, a distal portion of the stentcomprising a first plurality of fasteners, a mid-section of the stentcomprising a second plurality of fasteners, and a proximal portion ofthe stent comprising a third plurality of fasteners, each fastenercomprising an opening, wherein the openings of each fastener of thefirst plurality of fasteners are in alignment, the openings of eachfastener of the second plurality of fasteners are in alignment, and theopenings of each fastener of the third plurality of fasteners are inalignment, and further wherein a first release pin is disposed throughthe openings of each fastener of at least the first plurality offasteners and a second release pin is disposed through the openings ofeach fastener of at least the third plurality of fasteners, the firstrelease pin being attached to a distal portion of a rod by a firstsuture and the second release pin being attached to the distal portionof the rod by a second suture. The method also comprises the steps ofplacing the stent at the target location, proximally withdrawing therod, thereby causing the first and second release pins to withdraw fromthe openings of the fasteners, allowing the stent to expand, anddeploying the stent at the target location.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technicaladvantages of the present disclosure in order that the detaileddescription that follows may be better understood. Additional featuresand advantages of the disclosure will be described hereinafter that formthe subject of the claims of this application. It should be appreciatedby those skilled in the art that the conception and the specificembodiments disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifyingor designing other embodiments for carrying out the same purposes of thepresent disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in theart that such equivalent embodiments do not depart from the spirit andscope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A detailed description of the invention is hereafter described withspecific reference being made to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a stent in its expanded configuration comprising aplurality of fasteners;

FIG. 2 shows an end of a stent in its expanded configuration comprisingfour fasteners;

FIG. 3 shows an end of a stent in its radially compressed configurationwith the openings of each fastener in alignment;

FIG. 4 shows a radially compressed stent having a rod disposed in theopenings of each fastener;

FIG. 5 shows a stent having one end in the expanded configuration andthe opposite end and mid-section in a radially compressed configuration;

FIG. 6 shows a stent comprising three release pins disposed through theopenings of six fasteners; and

FIG. 7 shows three release pins being connected to a rod by sutureshaving different lengths.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments are described below with reference to the drawingsin which like elements generally are referred to by like numerals. Therelationship and functioning of the various elements of the embodimentsmay better be understood by reference to the following detaileddescription. However, embodiments are not limited to those illustratedin the drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are notnecessarily to scale, and in certain instances details may have beenomitted that are not necessary for an understanding of embodimentsdisclosed herein, such as conventional fabrication and assembly.

The present disclosure relates to stents, such as self-expanding stents,and methods for delivering and deploying the same. In accordance withFIG. 1, a stent is shown in the expanded configuration including adistal portion (110), a mid-section (115), and a proximal portion (120).As depicted, the stent also comprises a plurality of fasteners (125),which are useful for holding the stent in its radially compressedconfiguration. The fasteners (125) may be placed at any location alongthe body of the stent. In some embodiments, the proximal portion (120),the mid-section (115), and the distal portion (110) comprise a pluralityof fasteners (125). In other embodiments, only one or two of theproximal portion (120), mid-section (115) and distal portion (110)comprise a plurality of fasteners (125).

When referring to “a plurality” of fasteners, it is to be understoodthat this means two or more fasteners. There is no upper limit to thenumber of fasteners the stent may comprise. As such, a plurality caninclude anywhere from, for example, 2 fasteners to 100 fasteners ormore, such as from about 6 fasteners to about 50 fasteners or from about9 fasteners to about 25 fasteners. For example, the proximal portion(120) of the stent may comprise 2-8 fasteners, such as 4 fasteners, themid-section (115) may comprise 2-8 fasteners, such as 4 fasteners, andthe distal portion (110) may comprise 2-8 fasteners, such as 4fasteners.

The periphery of the stent comprises the fasteners. For example, in FIG.2, the periphery of an end of the stent is shown in its expandedconfiguration comprising 4 fasteners (225). In this embodiment, thefasteners (225) are depicted as rings but the fasteners are not limitedto rings and may instead include, for example, square shapes, triangularshapes, U-shapes, or any other configuration that can be secured by arod.

In some embodiments, the fasteners comprise rings (or other shapedstructures having openings therein, such as triangles or squares) andsuch rings are added onto an existing stent structure. In oneillustrative example, a ring may be configured similarly to a ring thatholds a house or car key, whereby a length of material having a proximaland a distal end is formed into a circular shape and the proximal anddistal ends are not joined together but instead overlap. In otherembodiments, a wire may be weaved or wound around an existing stentstructure forming various loops or other shapes having openings, such asU-shapes, within the inner diameter of the stent. Alternatively, tocreate the fasteners, one may form U-shaped loops on the inside of thestent mesh with the existing stent wire while the stent is being woven.

Regardless of how they are formed, the fasteners (225) may be placedanywhere along the periphery of the body of the stent. In FIG. 2, thefasteners are placed near the 12 o'clock position on an end of thestent, near the 3 o'clock position, near the 6 o'clock position, andnear the 9 o'clock position. No matter where the fasteners are placedalong the body of the stent, once the stent is urged into its radiallycollapsed configuration, openings or lumens of the fasteners align. Forexample, if the fasteners comprise rings, the rings become concentric.

FIG. 3. depicts an end of the stent shown in FIG. 2 in its radiallycompressed configuration. As can be seen, the opening/lumen (330) ofeach ring (325) aligns near the center of the stent lumen such that, forexample, axial placement of a rod therethrough will lock/hold the stentin the radially compressed configuration, as can be seen in FIG. 4. Thediameter of the openings (330) is not particularly limited and cangenerally be selected depending upon the diameter of the rod to beplaced therethrough. In some embodiments, the diameter of a fastener maybe from about 1 mm to about 4 mm or from about 2 mm to about 3 mm. Ifthe diameter is too big, the stent will not completely compress. If thediameter is too small, there may be difficulties when trying to alignthe fasteners to allow placement of a rod through the openings thereof.The inner diameter of the fastener is generally slightly larger than theouter diameter of the rod placed therethrough. For example, if the innerdiameter of the fastener is about 3 mm, then the outer diameter of therod portion placed therethrough may be from about 2.5 mm to about 2.99mm. In most embodiments, the outer diameter of the portion of the rodplaced through the opening in the fastener is about 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 1.5mm, 2 mm, 2.5 mm, 3 mm, etc., smaller than the inner diameter of thefastener.

In FIG. 4, fasteners (425) are shown having aligned openings near acenter portion of the stent lumen. A rod (435) is disposed in theopening of each fastener (425) to hold the stent in the compressedconfiguration. Removal of the rod (435) allows the stent to expand. Insome embodiments, different sections of the stent may expand atdifferent times. For example, when the distal end (440) of the rod isproximally withdrawn through the distal-most ring or distal-mostplurality of rings, the distal end of the stent will open but amid-section and proximal portion of the stent will remain compressed(see FIG. 5). As the distal end (440) of the rod continues to beproximally withdrawn, the stent will continue to expand.

The length of rod (435) is not critical and can generally be selecteddepending upon the length of the stent. In some embodiments, the stentand the rod have substantially the same length. In other embodiments,the length of the rod is less than the length of the stent or greaterthan the length of the stent.

In some embodiments, rod (435) is hollow, comprising a lumen orpassageway therein, and its mid-section and/or proximal portion aredisposed within a lumen or passageway of an outer tube (445). The distalend (440) of the rod can be passed over a wire guide to help guide thestent to the desired location in the body. A proximal end of the stentmay contact a distal end of the outer tube (445), which may help keepthe stent in place as the rod is proximally withdrawn. The outerdiameter of outer tube (445) may be substantially equal to, smallerthan, or larger than, the outer diameter of the stent in its compressedconfiguration. Outer tube (445) is connected to a handle at its proximalend and the proximal end of rod (435) may also be connected to thehandle or a component thereof. When the handle is manipulated by a user,the rod (435) is proximally withdrawn, thereby disengaging the fasteners(425) and allowing the stent to expand. Any known handle may be used.

In some embodiments, the fasteners may comprise rings or other shapeshaving openings therein, such as triangles, squares, etc. For example,in FIG. 6, a stent is shown in a radially compressed configurationcomprising a plurality of rings (625). The rings (625) are concentric sothat each lumen or opening thereof is in alignment. A rod or any otherdevice may be placed through the opening of each ring. In FIG. 6, threerelease pins (660) having eyes (650) similar to a sewing needle areplaced through the openings of each ring. Although the stent of FIG. 6is shown having three release pins (660), any number of release pins maybe present. For example, the stent may comprise one release pin disposedthrough the opening of each plurality of concentric fasteners. In otherembodiments, the stent may comprise from about two release pins to aboutsix or more release pins. The number of release pins may dictate thenumber of sections of the stent that may be expanded separately.

For example, in FIG. 6, at least three different sections of the stentmay be expanded separately since there are three different release pins.If only the distal-most release pin is removed and the other two releasepins are kept in place in the ring openings, the distal portion of thestent will expand and the mid-section and proximal portion of the stentwill remain compressed. If the release pin of the mid-section is thenremoved, the mid-section of the stent will expand but the proximalportion will remain compressed since that release pin has not yet beenremoved.

Removal of the release pin(s) may be accomplished by any meansavailable. An illustrative, non-limiting example can be found in FIG. 7.FIG. 7 shows the same stent/release pin configuration as depicted inFIG. 6 except the stent is not shown. A distal portion of rod (735) maybe disposed within the lumen of the stent and a proximal portion of therod may be joined to a handle that can be manipulated by the user. InFIG. 7, the distal end of rod (735) comprises three sutures (755). Thesutures (755) may be connected to a distal portion or distal end of therod by any known means, such as using an adhesive, welding, soldering,etc.

The composition of the sutures (755) is not limited and they cancomprise any suitable materials, such as various types of polymers,plastics, metals, etc. The sutures may be flexible or at least compriseone or more portions that are flexible. The distal end of the rod (735)may comprise any number of sutures. In some embodiments, the number ofsutures is equivalent to the number of release pins. Moreover, eachsuture can be configured to have any desired length. For example, allsutures may comprise different lengths, some sutures may comprise thesame length, or all sutures may comprise the same length.

The sutures (755) depicted in FIG. 7 comprise different lengths. Forexample, the suture (755) associated with the proximal-most release pin(760) comprises the shortest length. There is substantially no slack inthe suture between the point where it connects/attaches to eye (750) andthe point where it attaches/connects to the distal end of rod (735). Thesuture (755) associated with the middle release pin (760) comprises alength which is longer than the length of the suture associated with theproximal-most release pin. Moreover, the suture associated with thedistal-most release pin comprises a length which is longer than thelength of the suture associated with the middle release pin.

In this configuration, if rod (735) was proximally withdrawn a firstdistance, which was longer than the length of the suture attached to theproximal-most release pin, the proximal-most release pin wouldproximally withdraw from the opening of rings (725), thereby allowing aproximal portion of the stent to expand. However, since the suturesassociated with the middle release pin and the distal-most release pinare longer than the first distance and the suture associated with theproximal-most release pin, the middle and distal-most release pins arenot proximally withdrawn when the rod is only withdrawn a firstdistance.

If a user were to continue to proximally withdraw the rod to a seconddistance, the middle release pin would proximally withdraw from theopening of rings (725), thereby allowing a mid-section of the stent toexpand. Since the suture associated with the distal-most release pin islonger than the second distance and the suture associated with themiddle release pin, the distal-most release pin would not proximallywithdraw when the rod is only withdrawn a second distance. However, whenthe rod is further withdrawn a third distance, the distal-most releasepin would then withdraw from the openings of the distal-most rings,thereby allowing a distal portion of the stent to expand.

Of course, any length suture may be associated with any release pin inthe stent. For example, in the configuration depicted in FIG. 7, if auser wanted to expand the mid-section of the stent before the proximaland distal portions of the stent, the suture associated with the middlerelease pin would be made shorter than the sutures associated with thedistal and proximal release pins. Additionally, while three sutures areshown if FIG. 7, the rod may comprise any number of sutures. In someembodiments, the rod comprises a separate suture for each release pin.Thus, if the stent comprised five release pins, the rod would comprisefive sutures.

Furthermore, the configuration depicted in FIG. 7 may include additionalrods in connection with the release pins. For example, a first rod canbe connected by a suture to the proximal and mid-section release pinsand a second rod may be attached by a suture to the distal release pin.The rods may be proximally or distally withdrawn to remove the releasepins and allow the stent to expand. In some embodiments, the outerdiameter of each release pin is slightly smaller than the inner diameterof each fastener, such that a tight fit may be achieved between therelease pin and the lumen of the fastener. If release pins are notutilized and one or more rods pass through the lumens of the fasteners,the outer diameter of each rod may be slightly smaller than the innerdiameter of each fastener.

Any stent known in the art may be used in accordance with the presentdisclosure. That is, any stent may be configured to include a pluralityof fasteners. Various designs known in the art may be used for the stentstructure. For example, the stent structure may be made with serpentinerings interconnected with longitudinal structural members. The stentstructure may be fabricated from a cannula, and may have longitudinalsegments of laterally interconnected closed cells, as disclosed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,231,598, and 6,743,252 which are incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

In other embodiments, the stent structure may be a wire frameconstructed from a plurality of wire stent segments as disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 5,195,984, the entire contents of which are incorporated hereinby reference, or the stent be made from a braided framework of wirefilaments. Other stent structures are also possible.

Regardless of the structure of the stent, it has a reduced diameterdelivery state in which it may be advanced to a target location within avessel, duct, or other anatomical site. The stent additionally has anexpanded deployed state in which it may be configured to apply aradially outward force upon a vessel, duct, or other target location,e.g., to maintain patency within a passageway.

The stent may comprise one or more of a variety of materials, such asnitinol, stainless steel, cobalt-chrome alloys, amorphous metals,tantalum, platinum, gold, titanium, and any combination thereof. Thestent may also comprise non-metallic materials, such as variousthermoplastics or other polymers. In some embodiments, the stentcomprises elastic, super-elastic, or spring-metal alloys, such asnitinol, such that it may compress under force, and, when unrestrained,will tend to return to its expanded configuration in a spring-likemanner. Any of the foregoing materials may also be included in othercomponents disclosed herein, such as the fasteners, rods, outer tubes,etc. For example, in some embodiments, the fasteners may comprisenitinol, stainless steel, a polymeric material, or any otherbiocompatible material.

Any known delivery system or delivery catheter may be used to deliverthe presently disclosed stents to a target site. However, as opposed totraditional delivery systems, a delivery system used to deliver anddeploy the presently disclosed stents need not include an outer stentrestraining sheath.

In some embodiments, the delivery device includes a handle and an outertube having a proximal and distal end. The proximal end of the outertube is connected to the distal end of the handle. The outer tubecomprises a lumen and a rod disposed therein. A distal end of the rodprotrudes from the distal end of the outer tube and a proximal end ofthe rod passes into the handle. A stent comprising a plurality offasteners may then be compressed so that openings in the fasteners alignand the distal end of the rod may then be passed through the openings tohold the stent in its compressed configuration. In some embodiments, aguide wire may be loaded through a distal end opening of the rod andemerge from a proximal portion of the handle. This delivery system maythen be used to place the stent at the target location in the body andonce there, the rod may be proximally withdrawn to allow the stent toexpand. The fasteners remain connected to the stent after deployment andmight be useful when retrieving the stent at a later time or they mayprovide additional friction forces that help prevent migration of thestent within a lumen.

In some embodiments, the positioning of the stent may be performed usingfluoroscopic guidance. Moreover, one or more of the components of thestent and/or delivery system may comprise a radiopaque marker tofacilitate positioning of the stent. In some embodiments, at least oneradiopaque marker is disposed on the stent to facilitate positioning ata target location, such as within a stenosed region of a vessel.

Again, the manner by which the rod is proximally withdrawn is notlimited and any known techniques may be used. In some embodiments, aproximal end of the rod may simply be grasped and pulled by thephysician. In other embodiments, the proximal end of the rod may beattached to an element of the handle and the rod is proximally withdrawnby proximally withdrawing the element of the handle. Additionally, thehandle may comprise a trigger-type mechanism and each time the triggeris depressed, the rod may be proximally withdrawn incrementally. Forexample, US 2009/0171433 (the disclosure of which is incorporated intothe present application in its entirety) discloses a handle comprising atrigger and each time the trigger is pulled/depressed, an outer sheathis proximally withdrawn incrementally. Such a device may be modified tobe used with the presently disclosed rod instead of an outer sheath,wherein each time the trigger is pulled, the rod is proximally withdrawna predetermined distance.

As may be deduced from the present disclosure, the overall size of theintroduction system used to place the stent at the target location isreduced since an outer sheath is not required to hold the stent in theradially compressed configuration and can therefore be excluded. Byusing the rod and fasteners disclosed herein, the stent can be tightlycompressed, more so than using a traditional sheath, and high deploymentforces commonly associated with delivery systems comprising outersheaths can be eliminated. The presently disclosed stent/fastenercombination can be used in a variety of applications, such as byendoscopists in hospital/clinical settings to treat diseases of theesophagus, colon, bile duct and/or diseases in other body lumens.

All of the devices and methods disclosed and claimed herein can be madeand executed without undue experimentation in light of the presentdisclosure. While this invention may be embodied in many differentforms, there are described in detail herein specific exemplaryembodiments. The present disclosure is an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and is not intended to limit the inventionto the particular embodiments illustrated. In addition, unless expresslystated to the contrary, use of the term “a” is intended to include “atleast one” or “one or more.” For example, “a fastener” is intended toinclude “at least one fastener” or “one or more fasteners.”

Any ranges given either in absolute terms or in approximate terms areintended to encompass both, and any definitions used herein are intendedto be clarifying and not limiting. Notwithstanding that the numericalranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention areapproximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examplesare reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however,inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from thestandard deviation found in their respective testing measurements.Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein are to be understood to encompassany and all sub-ranges (including all fractional and whole values)subsumed therein.

Furthermore, the invention encompasses any and all possible combinationsof some or all of the various embodiments described herein. It shouldalso be understood that various changes and modifications to thepresently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and withoutdiminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that suchchanges and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A self-expanding stent comprising a proximalportion, a mid-section, and a distal portion, wherein one or more of theproximal portion, mid-section, and distal portion comprises a pluralityof fasteners, the plurality of fasteners being disposed about aperiphery of the stent and woven through one or more open cells of thestent, wherein each fastener of the plurality of fasteners comprises anopening and a rod is disposed through the opening of each fastener,thereby holding the stent in a radially compressed configuration.
 2. Thestent of claim 1, wherein when the stent is in a radially compressedconfiguration, the openings of each fastener align or become concentricin a lumen of the stent.
 3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the rodcomprises a plurality of release pins attached by sutures to a distalrod portion, wherein each release pin of the plurality of release pinsis disposed through the openings of two or more of the fasteners.
 4. Thestent of claim 3, wherein a length of at least one suture is longer thana length of the other sutures.
 5. The stent of claim 1, wherein theproximal portion comprises a proximal plurality of fasteners, the distalportion comprises a distal plurality of fasteners, and the mid-sectioncomprises a mid-plurality of fasteners.
 6. The stent of claim 5, whereineach fastener comprises an opening and when the stent is in a radiallycompressed configuration, the openings of each fastener of the proximalplurality are in alignment, the openings of each fastener of themid-plurality are in alignment, and the openings of each fastener of thedistal plurality are in alignment.
 7. The stent of claim 6, wherein afirst release pin is disposed through the openings of the fasteners ofthe distal plurality, a second release pin is disposed through theopenings of the fasteners of the mid-plurality, and a third release pinis disposed through the openings of the fasteners of the proximalplurality.
 8. The stent of claim 7, wherein the first release pin isattached to a distal portion of a rod by a first suture, the secondrelease pin is attached to the distal portion of the rod by a secondsuture, and the third release pin is attached to the distal portion ofthe rod by a third suture.
 9. The stent of claim 8, wherein the first,second, and third sutures comprise different lengths.
 10. A method ofdeploying a stent at a target location comprising: providing a stent ina radially compressed configuration, the stent comprising a plurality offasteners, each fastener of the plurality of fasteners comprising anopening, wherein the openings of each fastener are in alignment in alumen of the radially compressed stent, and further wherein a rod isdisposed through the openings of each fastener; placing the stent at thetarget location; withdrawing the rod from the openings of the fasteners;allowing the stent to expand; and deploying the stent at the targetlocation.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein a proximal portion of thestent, a mid-section of the stent, and a distal portion of the stenteach comprise two or more fasteners.
 12. The method of claim 11, whereinthe rod is proximally withdrawn a first distance, thereby allowing thedistal portion of the stent to expand while the mid-section and proximalportion remain compressed.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the rodis proximally withdrawn a second distance, thereby allowing themid-section of the stent to expand while the proximal portion remainscompressed.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the rod is proximallywithdrawn a third distance, thereby allowing the proximal portion of thestent to expand.
 15. A method of deploying a stent at a target locationcomprising: providing a stent in a radially compressed configuration, adistal portion of the stent comprising a first plurality of fasteners, amid-section of the stent comprising a second plurality of fasteners, anda proximal portion of the stent comprising a third plurality offasteners, each fastener comprising an opening, wherein the openings ofeach fastener of the first plurality of fasteners are in alignment, theopenings of each fastener of the second plurality of fasteners are inalignment, and the openings of each fastener of the third plurality offasteners are in alignment, and further wherein a first release pin isdisposed through the openings of each fastener of at least the firstplurality of fasteners and a second release pin is disposed through theopenings of each fastener of at least the third plurality of fasteners,the first release pin being attached to a distal portion of a rod by afirst suture and the second release pin being attached to the distalportion of the rod by a second suture; placing the stent at the targetlocation; withdrawing the rod, thereby causing the first and secondrelease pins to withdraw from the openings of the fasteners; allowingthe stent to expand; and deploying the stent at the target location. 16.The method of claim 15, wherein the first suture comprises a firstlength and the second suture comprises a second length that is differentthan the first length.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the stentcomprises a third release pin disposed through the openings of eachfastener of the second plurality of fasteners, the first release pinbeing disposed only through the openings of each fastener of the firstplurality of fasteners and the second release pin being disposed onlythrough the openings of each fastener of the third plurality offasteners, the third release pin being attached to the distal portion ofthe rod by a third suture, the third suture having a third length thatis different than the first and second lengths, wherein proximallywithdrawing the rod allows the distal portion, mid-section, and proximalportion of the stent to expand separately.